Columbia Executive MBA interview

Hi newtoogmat - congrats on the interview invitation at Columbia EMBA!!!

Most EMBA interviews at Columbia are conducted by an admissions committee member on campus. Is that how yours is scheduled? You can expect the standard interview questions like "Why do you want an MBA" and "Why do you want to go to Columbia" and "Why is this particular EMBA the right program for you" -- be prepared to basically cover the same information as you've laid out in your essays, about career goals and such. An EMBA (or P/T) candidate to any school should be ready to talk about how you'll use the EMBA in your current job, as you're going through the program - do you expect to be promoted in mid-cycle, why is it important now to get the MBA, etc.

Columbia also has a variety of "required" questions which you can likely find easily enough by Googling or on the Clear Admit interview wiki (we don't feel it's appropriate for us to list them out here but they are certainly easily discoverable on your own).

Most important? PRACTICE! It's surprisingly difficult to talk about ourselves effectively -- dedicating some prep time with a friend will help a lot.

We've been featuring some interview tips on our blog lately:

https://essaysnark.blocked/2011/10/ ... rview.html
https://essaysnark.blocked/2011/11/ ... -tips.html

You might also find this post useful, about the CBS process and timing:
https://essaysnark.blocked/2011/10/ ... -from.html

Hope all this helps - good luck with it, and please report back so that we can hear how it goes!!

EssaySnark

Hi newtoogmat, can you please update how your interview went for the Columbia EMBA? Were you able to get through? If yes, then can you please let me know your profile.

Thanks in advance,
Tata

newtoogmat wrote:I am looking for information on the Columbia EMBA admissions interview. Specifically, what types of questions are asked. Any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Hey tata - we're also curious to learn how it went for newtoogmat, glad you asked!

Assuming you're also interviewing with Columbia EMBA, then you should expect very similar questions as any other Columbia MBA candidate would get: tell us about your career goals, why do you want an MBA, and most important: why are you choosing this specific program for your MBA? They'll want to hear how you can put your MBA education to work in your current career and/or how you'll leverage it to transition to something else. Most Columbia EMBA interviews are done by an admissions person (rather than an alum). They tend to be very friendly but they're going to be looking for specific information from you, so having concise answers to all the questions is important.

EssaySnark recently announced both a special Interviewing Guide as well as services for practicing - see here for details: https://essaysnark.blocked/2012/01/ ... lable.html

As we said before, the most important thing is to PRACTICE! For most of us, interviewing is a skill that needs some work before we get good at it. The more you practice, the more confident you'll feel going into it.

Good luck tata and keep us posted on how things go for you!

EssaySnark

This questions will help you. I hope:

How do I apply?

May I apply to more than one of your MBA programs at once?

Can I apply to Columbia if I already have an MBA?

Do I have to take the GMAT or GRE before I apply?

How do I schedule an interview?

Do I need to be sponsored?

Can I sponsor myself?

Can I apply without being gainfully employed?

How much does the EMBA program cost?

Are there scholarships for students in the program?

Is financial aid available?

How much will I be able to customize my curriculum through electives?

What career management services are available?

After I’m admitted, can I defer to a future term?

What does a typical EMBA calendar look like for the length of the program?